Approximately 36% of people living in America today belong to a minority group. Despite the increase in diverse population of the United States, less than 17% of registered nurses in 2008 belonged to a minority group. This is a concern because people from minority backgrounds are more apt to seek ACmedical care, trust information received, and follow prescribed treatment when their healthcare providers are of similar backgrounds. To increase graduation rates of culturally diverse nursing students, factors should be identified that influence their persistence to graduation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of culturally diverse baccalaureate nursing students' persistence to graduation from a private, predominantly White, faith-based health sciences college. The study took place in a large Southern metropolitan city. Eleven culturally diverse senior nursing students in their last clinical course prior to graduation were chosen. Parameters for cultural diversity included race and ethnicity, and gender. Using a heuristic phenomenological approach, data were gathered during face-to-face interviews using a constructed interview guide. Interviews were transcribed and data analysis was completed using Moustakas' method to focus on composite depictions and syntheses of the participants' experiences. As evidenced by the 17 emerged themes from the findings, faculty, staff, and peers played important roles in influencing the participants' persistence to graduation, both positively and negatively. In addition, participants' practice of spirituality was increased, possibly because of being in a faith-based nursing program. Also noted was the importance of having minority-focused activities and utilizing minority role models to increase the persistence of culturally diverse students. Despite negative experiences, participants persisted at the college due to their faith in God, their desire to make their family proud, and their desire not to be a statistic. Further research should be conducted in predominantly White nursing programs in other regions of the country. The research should replicate this study and include quantitative studies. In addition, studies comparing the experiences of White male and White female nursing students should be conducted, as well as qualitative studies with White administrators, faculty, and staff regarding their interactions and experiences with culturally diverse students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]